California community colleges fail to reach poor communities

Community colleges across the state of California are failing to reach poorer areas, according to a report released Tuesday by Oakland-based California Competes, a nonpartisan group focused on higher education policy.

The group released an interactive map of community college participation by 1,700 ZIP codes, using census data and enrollment numbers from the Chancellor’s Office of California Community Colleges, which has 112 schools.

According to the map, which can be accessed through www.californiacompetes.org, community college participation in Los Angeles is 5 percent below the state average and 26 percent below Orange County.